2000 Nissan Maxima Suspension Problems

UPON INSPECTION THE FRAME AND CROSS MEMBER ARE RUSTED BEYOND REPAIR. IT IS NOW TOO DANGEROUS TO DRIVE AND ULTIMATELY USELESS. THE MECHANIC IS AFRAID TO LET THE CAR DOWN OFF THE LIFT TO SUPPORT ITS OWN WEIGHT. HOW IS THIS EVEN POSSIBLE AND EVEN CLOSE TO ACCEPTABLE? THIS CAR HAS BEEN STORED IN A GARAGE, NOT DRIVEN OFTEN, AND PROPERLY MAINTAINED. THIS IS COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE.

OUR CONFIRMATION FOR EARLIER COMPLAINT IS : 10628840 SINCE WE BOUGHT THE CAR, IT IS AN ON GOING PROBLEM. WE HAD ENGINE LIGHT AND SUSPENSION PROBLEM. WHILE DRIVING CAR SOME TIMES STARTS WAVERING AND JUMPING. ALSO GETS VERY DIFFICULT TO CONTROL THE STEERING. MANY OF THE NISSAN PLACES HAVE CHARGED US A HEALTHY AMOUNT OF MONEY BUT THE PROBLEM STAYS THE SAME. CAN NOT BE DRIVEN ON HIGHWAYS. I HAVE SUBMITTED ALL THE DOCUMENTS WITH THE PREVIOUS COMPLAINT. PLEASE ADVISE AND HELP US. THANK YOU *TR

THERE WAS A NOISE IN THE CAR AND IT WAS TIME FOR REGULAR MAINTENANCE. NEEDLESS TO SAY I WAS SHOCKED TO LEARN THAT THE MOTOR MOUNTS WERE RUSTED AND NEEDED REPLACING. THE PAINT JOB HAS DETERIORATED BADLY EVEN I HAD KEPT IT CLEAN AND WAXED. *TR

FRAME SECTIONS CRUMBLED, TOTAL RUST DETERIORATION, VEHICLE LOOKS GOOD BUT IS UNSAFE AND WILL NOT PASS STATE INSPECTION. *TR

I BELIEVE, THE ENGINE LIGHT PROBLEM WAS THERE SINCE I BOUGHT IT BECAUSE AFTER DRIVING COUPLE OF MONTHS (1000-1500 MILES) THE LIGHT APPEARED. FIRST, IT WILL COME AND GO AFTER APPROX 61,000 MILES IT BECAME PERMANENT. IN 2008 I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO NISSAN DEALERSHIP BILL KAY AT DOWNERS GROVE IL PAID APPROX. $2,000 FOR FIXING THE PROBLEM BUT AFTER SOME TIME IT AGAIN CAME UP AND STARTED FLASHING. IN 2010 AGAIN I TOOK IT TO MAINEKE AUTO WORK SHOP AND GOT THE IGNITION COILS CHANGED, SILENCER/EXHAUST CHANGED AND PAID ALMOST $1,200 BUT AGAIN THE SAME PROBLEM OF ENGINE LIGHT CAME BACK. THE PROBLOM GOES ON AND ON, RECENTLY I GOT THE NEW BATTERY AND TOOK IT TO THE GERALD NISSAN AT OGDEN AVE. NAPERVILLE, IL THEY SAID THEY CHANGED THE COILS BUT LIGHT CAME BACK THE VERY NEXT DAY. I PAID $800. NOW THEY ARE AGAIN MENTIONING THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH SENSOR. PLEASE ADVISE AND HELP ME WITH THIS PROBLEM. THESE CARS ARE SUPPOSE TO BE STURDY AND NOT HAVE SUCH PROBLEM SO FREQUENTLY AND I AM SICK AND TIRED OF SPENDING MONEY ON THIS CAR. *TR

ON MY NISSAN MAXIMA SE 2000 WHICH ONLY HAS 23,000 MILES ON IT, THE LEFT FRONT COIL SPRING BROKE. MY GARAGE TOLD ME THAT BOTH COIL SPRINGS WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED, AN ALIGNMENT NEEDS TO BE PERFORMED AND BECAUSE THE SPRING RIPPED INTO THE TIRE, THE 17" PERFORMANCE TIRE NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. ALL TO A TUNE OF $900. I'M TOLD A COIL SPRING SHOULD NEVER BREAK ON A CAR THAT HAS THIS LOW MILEAGE. NISSAN CONSUMER AFFAIRS OFFERED NO HELP BECAUSE I WOULD NOT HAVE MY CAR TOWED TO A "CERTIFIED" NISSAN DEALERSHIP WHICH WOULD HAVE COST ME MORE MONEY. *NM

COIL SPRINGS TENDED MAKE CLICKING NOISE. VEHICLE SHOWED SAME PROBLEM AS FOUND IN 1999 MAXIMA. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIR ONCE ALREADY.*AK

WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY MY 2000 MAXIMA SUDDENLY SPUN OUT OF CONTROL FOR NO APPARENT REASON. THE VEHICLE SPUN AROUND SEVERAL TIMES AND DOWN INTO A TWENTY FOOT DITCH, COLLIDING WITH SEVERAL TREES. THE AIR BAG NEVER DEPLOYED. *NLM

AT ABOUT 75,000 MILES, ENGINE WOULD TAKE A LITTLE LONGER TO START ESPECIALLY IN RAINY WEATHER. IT SOUNDED LIKE IT WAS TAKING LONGER FOR FUEL TO GET TO ENGINE. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AT 80,000 MILES. CODE INDICATED BAD CATALYTIC CONVERTOR. MECHANIC RESET AND A FEW THOUSAND MILES LATER IT CAME ON AGAIN. MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT BOTH OXYGEN SENSORS WERE DEFECTIVE AND THEY HAD TO BE REPLACED TO PASS SMOG CHECK FOR $460 ALSO, AT ABOUT 80,000 MILES, CAR HAD INTERMITANT ACCELERATION PROBLEMS WHICH BECAME MORE PROBLEMATIC IN RAINY WEATHER. I WOULD FLOOR ACCELERATOR AND NOTHING WOULD HAPPEN. MECHANIC PRESSURE TESTED FUEL PUMP AND FOUND IT TOO LOW AND REPLACED FUEL PUMP FOR $478. THIS SOLVED PROBLEM FOR A FEW MONTHS AND IT BEGAN HAPPENING AGAIN. THEN, ONE DAY I TRIED TO BACK OUT OF MY GARAGE AND IT WOULDN'T GO IN REVERSE WHEN I SHIFTED IT. I PUSHED MY CAR OUT OF GARAGE AND WAS ABLE TO GET IT TO GO IN DRIVE. WHILE DRIVING TO MECHANIC'S, I PUT CAR IN CRUISE CONTROL AND IT WOULD LOSE POWER INTERMITANTLY TRYING TO MAINTAIN THE SET SPEED. I TOOK IT OUT OF CRUISE CONTROL AND FLOORED THE ACCELERATOR AND THE SAME PREVIOUS PROBLEM OCCURRED. IT REVED ENGINE BUT NOTHING WOULD HAPPEN. WHEN I GOT TO MECHANIC, IT WOULD GO IN REVERSE. HE DETERMINED THAT IT WAS THE TRANSMISSION THAT DIDN'T GIVE ENOUGH CLUTCH PRESSURE UNTIL IT WAS DRIVEN FOR A WHILE. IT WAS A FAILING TRANSMISSION THAT CAUSED THIS AND THE INABILITY TO ACCELERATE. IT WOULD COST OVER $3,000 TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION. I HAD TO REPLACE DEFECTIVE FRONT AND REAR STRUTS, FRONT TIE ROD GREASE BOOT, COMPRESS COIL SPRING, TIE ROD OUTER END AT 134,000 MILES FOR $1100. AT 137,000 MILES, THE EGR VALVE & GASKET FELL OUT WHILE I WAS DRIVING. MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE EGR VALVE HOUSING WAS BROKEN AND IT WAS REPLACED FOR $340. DUE TO THE AMOUNT OF MONEY SPENT ON THIS VEHICLE, I CANNOT AFFORD $3000 TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION AND WILL BE SELLING MY FIRST AND LAST NISSAN VEHICLE EVER.

I PURCHASED A USED 2000 NISSAN MAXIMA THAT HAD 28,000 MILES ON IT ALMOST 3 YEARS AGO. I HAVE ONLY PUT 6,000 MILES ON THE CAR, BUT HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT BEING ON ALMOST CONTINUOUSLY SINCE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE. I TOOK IT TO MY REGULAR MECHANIC WHEN IT HAD TO PASS SMOG INSPECTION. HE TEMPORARILY FIXED THE ENGINE LIGHT PROBLEM, BUT SOON AS I ACCELERATED OVER 50 MILES PER HOUR, THE LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN. I HAVE ALSO HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKES, WHICH HAD TO BE COMPLETELY REPLACED TWICE, THE IGNITION (CAR WOULDN'T START), AND, A PROBLEM WITH THE CAR WHEN DOWNSHIFTING (ENGINE SEIZES UP VIOLENTLY). THERE IS ALSO A SUSPENSION PROBLEM, AS CAR MAKES LOUD NOISE EVERY TIME I HAVE TO GO OVER SPEED BUMPS. MY SON IS READY TO GET HIS DRIVER'S LICENSE, AND I WILL HAVE TO GET RID OF THIS CAR AT A LOSS, AS I DO NOT FEEL THE CAR IS SAFE FOR HIM TO DRIVE. *JB

VEHICLE SHAKES AND VIBRATES WHILE TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK

AT 60 MPH, THERE IS CONSTANT, AGRIVATED VIBRATION ON THE FRONT END (STEERING WHEEL, FLOOR, PAN, PEDDLES, AND SEATS). I FEEL THE VIBRATION COME DOWN MY WRISTS, ARMS, UP TO MY SHOULDER. I CONSIDER THIS A SAFETY HAZARD AS IT CAN DISTRACT ME FROM BEING FULLY ALERT AND ATTENTIVE TO TRAFFIC. I HAVE TAKEN THE CAR TO THE DEALER AND THEY HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO FIX THE PROBLEM. THIS IS THE WORST NEW CAR THAT I HAVE EVER PURCHASED. *AK

TRANSMISSION FAILURE: BOUGHT VEHICLE IN APRIL OF '99. TRANSMISSION BEGAN TO SLIP AT 15K. REMAN TRANS UNDER WARRANTY. 2ND SLIP OCCURRED AT 30K UNDER WARRANTY. DENIED VEHICLE TRADE. REMAN TRANS. 3RD OCCURRENCE AT 45K, REPLACED TRANS W/ OEM UNDER WARRANTY. DENIED TRADE. TRANSMISSION FAILURE AT HIGH TEMP FOR LONG DRIVES (2 HR INCLINE) AND HAD TO WAIT FOR THE TRANS TO COOL BEFORE IT DROVE AGAIN, ONE OCCURRENCE AT 55K, OIL OK. STILL INTERMITTENT POWER LOSS/SLIPPAGE. DEALERSHIP UNABLE TO RECREATE PROBLEM. DENIED TRADE. IGNITION COILS: KNOCKING, BAD GAS MILEAGE, AND POWER LOSS DUE TO IGNITION COIL FAILURE AT 70K. WAS TOLD I NEEDED TO REPLACE ALL COILS RATHER THAN THE ONE THAT WAS DAMAGED AND ALL SPARK PLUGS. ALTERNATOR WENT OUT AFTER REPAIR. REPLACED ALL COILS, PLUGS AND ALTERNATOR ($1500). STILL HAVE POWER LOSS & OCCASIONAL KNOCKING. NO HELP FROM NISSAN. DENIED TRADE. SUSPENSION: CONSTANT KNOCKING OF TIRE AREA AT 60K. ALL 4 HUBS DAMAGED AND REPLACED AT 65K. ALL 4 STRUTS LEAKING AND HAD TO BE REPLACED ALSO AT 65K. NO HELP FROM NISSAN. NISSAN QUOTE $3000. OPTED OUTSIDE REPAIR FOR $1000, NO MORE PROBLEMS. EMISSIONS: MORE LOSS OF POWER (3000RPM+) AND BAD GAS MILEAGE. PROBABLY LINKED TO IGNITION COIL PROBLEM. PROBLEM HAS BEEN DIAGNOSED TO 1 OF 4 CATALYTIC CONVERTER SENSOR FAILURES. 130K. NO HELP FROM NISSAN. $3000+. FAN: LOUD NOISE WHEN A/C IS ON. ONE FAN DEFECTIVE AT 80K. FAN BLADE RUBBING ON METAL FRAME. REPLACED FAN $200. NO HELP FROM NISSAN. CONCLUSION: I WANTED TO HAVE MY VEHICLE CONSIDERED A LEMON AND TRADED. I HAD NO COMPLAINT WITH NISSAN OR THE MAXIMA LINE. I ONLY HAD A PROBLEM WITH JUST MY CAR. JUST WANTED A NEW MAXIMA. 5 LEMON ATTEMPTS WITH NISSAN, REJECTED EACH TIME. DISMISSED UNDER STRICT LEMON LAW STIPULATION REGARDING REPAIR STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS AND GUIDELINES OF REPAIR. VEHICLE HAS BEEN NOTHING BUT TROUBLE. PROPERLY MAINTAINED AND HAVE MAINTENANCE RECEIPTS AND DATES OF EACH OCCURRENCE LISTED ABOVE. *TR

SINCE CAR FIRST PICKED UP FROM DEALER, FRONT END VIBRATES AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS (65-70MPH). RETURNED TO DEALER 3 TIMES TO CORRECT PROBLEM. PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. DEALER CUT ROTORS, ROTATED AND BALANCED TIRES SEVERAL TIMES, REPLACED ALL TIRES AND PROBLEM REMAINS. REPORT FILED WITH NISSAN (FILE # 3027068). TEST DROVE ANOTHER 2000 MAXIMA AND PROBLEM WAS NOT THERE. WAITING FOR NISSAN TO CONTACT DEALER TO CONTINUE THE TROUBLE SHOOTING OF THE PROBLEM.

POSSIBLE SUSPENSION FAILURE IS CAUSING HTE VEHICLE TO HAVE A POOR RIDE. CONSUMER SAYS THE RIDE IS VERY BUMPY, CHOPPY AND JARRING AND MAKES DRIVING UNCOMFORTABLE AND TIRING. NLM